10 New TV Series Premieres to Watch in April

Viewers have a lot of new TV series to look forward to over the next month. April is set to bring a wide variety of series debuts to the small-screen, including a slew of original comedies and dramas from Hulu and Netflix and a new Showtime miniseries from Idris Elba. Below, check out 10 new TV show premieres to watch in the coming weeks.

1. Guerrilla, April 16

Set against the backdrop of one of the most explosive times in U.K. history, this Showtime miniseries stars Babou Ceesay and Freida Pinto as a politically active couple whose relationship and values are tested when they liberate a political prisoner and form a radical underground cell in 1970s London. Their target becomes the Black Power Desk, a real-life secretive counterintelligence unit dedicated to crushing all forms of black activism.

Idris Elba co-stars and executive produces the six-part limited series, while Academy Award-winner John Ridley directs. The show will air Sunday nights at 9 p.m. Eastern.

2. The White Princess, April 16

Starz’s upcoming historical series, based on Philippa Gregory’s 2013 novel of the same name, will serve as a sequel to 2009’s The White Queen TV show. The eight-episode series will star Jodie Comer and Jacob Collins-Levy as Elizabeth of York and Henry VII, whose marriage seemingly unites England, but ultimately can’t repair the deep individual and partisan rifts between them.

3. Famous in Love, April 18

This new Freeform drama, based on the book of the same name, stars Bella Thorne as Paige Townsen, an ordinary college student whose life is changed after she lands a starring role in a Hollywood blockbuster. She must learn to navigate her fame and undeniable chemistry with her two co-leads, while also uncovering the truth about what happened to a famous missing pop star.

Carter Jenkins, Keith Powers, Charlie DePew, Niki Koss, and Perrey Reeves round out the cast. The show will air at 8 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday nights.

4. Girlboss, April 21

This upcoming Netflix original comedy, created by Kay Cannon and executive produced by Charlize Theron, is inspired by Sophia Amoruso’s autobiography, #Girlboss.

5. Mary Kills People, April 23

Lifetime’s new black comedy drama stars Caroline Dhavernas as Dr. Mary Harris, an overworked single mother and emergency room doctor, who moonlights as an underground angel of death — aka working outside the law to assist patients who want to die on their own terms. As business keeps booming, her double life becomes increasingly complicated.

6. Genius, April 25

National Geographic’s original series will star Academy Award winner Geoffrey Rush as patent clerk Albert Einstein, who — although unable to get a teaching job or doctorate in his early life — manages to go on to develop the theory of relativity.

British newcomer Johnny Flynn co-stars as Einstein in his youth, while Emily Watson plays the enigmatic genius’ second wife, Elsa Einstein. The 10-part event will air on Tuesday nights at 9 p.m. Eastern.

7. Great News, April 25

NBC’s upcoming sitcom, executive produced by Tina Fey, is set in the world of TV news and follows an up-and-coming news producer who finds herself dealing with a new intern: her mother.

Briga Heelan, Andrea Martin, John Michael Higgins, Nicole Richie, and Adam Campbell star in the comedy, which will air at 9 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday nights.

8. The Handmaid’s Tale, April 26

Adapted from the classic novel by Margaret Atwood, Hulu’s upcoming The Handmaid’s Tale is the story of life in the dystopia of Gilead, a totalitarian society in what was formerly the United States.

Elisabeth Moss will star as the handmaid in the commander’s household, one of the caste of women forced into sexual servitude as a last attempt to repopulate the world. Samira Wiley, Joseph Fiennes, Yvonne Strahovski, Max Minghella, and Ann Dowd co-star in the series.

9. Dear White People, April 28

This Netflix comedy, based on the highly praised 2014 indie film of the same name, hails from original screenwriter and director Justin Simien. The 10 episode, 30-minute series will follow a diverse group of students of color as they attempt to navigate life at a predominantly white Ivy League college that often overlooks racial tensions.

Logan Browning takes on the leading role, while Brandon Bell is set to reprise his role from the movie. Meanwhile, Simien will write the series and direct the first episode.

10. American Gods, April 30

Starz’s adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s famous novel will star Ricky Whittle and Ian McShane as Shadow Moon and Mr. Wednesday, respectively. The two make their way across America, gathering all the old gods, who have now incorporated themselves into American life, to confront the New Gods, including Media and Technology.